Search - The Tormentors on DVD

Sorry, no redeeming qualities here!

Dana Vincent | Sunnyvale, CA USA | 02/09/2008

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The Tormentors is one of those 70s movies that is just plain awful. Actually, the best part of the DVD is the front cover artwork! Poor acting and directing, a fragmented-yet-predictable story-line, student-level filming and editing, non-original dialogue, and truly uninteresting characters make for a 78-minute snore-fest! I kept waiting for some redeeming qualities that would make the viewing experience worthwhile, but sadly none shined through this lackluster bomb. Even the abduction and assault scenes were totally unconvincing and poorly choreographed. When this film debuted in 1971, the producers were obviously trying to capitalize on what was perceived to be the topics of the day (free love, pseudo-gurus, the psychedelic scene, etc.), none of which was portrayed realistically. Don't be deceived by the "R" rating, as it is barely PG-13 in content by today's standards. I had purchased this DVD because it was distributed by the Platinum Disc folks, who had previously issued the engaging "Cyclone" film (not the disposable shark-related movie of the same name) with Heather Thomas and Jeffrey Combs, and hoped it would be at least of equivalent quality. Not even remotely close! As a fan of sleeper B-movies with a revenge theme ("Savage Streets", "I Spit On Your Grave", "Dudes", etc.) I wish I could say something good about this movie, but I just can't. Do yourself a favor and look elsewhere!"